Bracket and rod coupling for curtain fixtures



Oct. 4 1927.

J. H. BOYE BRACKET AND ROD COUPLING FOR CURTAIN FIXTURES Filed April 6. 192a Z n ,4 V f n n u n m u n I J/ZVe/z ZZ JaVrzwi/ Joye,

Patented 0a. 4, 1927.

nnirsn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. BOYE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ssreivon T0 JAMES ii. BOYE MANUFACTUR- BRACKET AND BOD. COUPLING FOR CURTAIN FIXTURES.

Application filed April 16, 1926. Serial so. 102,415.

This invention relates to curtain fixtures of the kind employing a plurality of curtain rods disposed one in front 7 others to support a curtain with one or more overdrapesor side drapes, etc, in 'proper position to cover a window or other opening. More specifically my present invention relates to a type of curtain fixture disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,349,041, granted to my assignee Aug. 10, 1920, which is characterized by spaced parallel curtain rods having inwardly or rearwardly directed brack et-engaging elbow end portions of equal lengths, and a stepped supporting for each end of the rods formed with an attaching base and engaging members for said elbow end portions which are ferentdistances from the base,-a construction which permits the use of a uniform or unit size and shape of rod for of a fixture, thespacing of the rods being secured by the relative forward and rearward offsetting or stepped arrangement of the rod-engaging members of the bracket.

In the structure shown. and described in the aforesaid Letters Patent the rod-supporting arms of the bracket are formed with sockets, and the rearwardly directed end. portion of the rod is flattened down on an inserted fastening member that enters and interlocks with the socket in a manner to strongly support the entire rod in a horizontal plane. One object. of my present invention is to simplify and cheapen the aforesaid structure while preserving all of its advantages. Another object is to provide a construction which, whenthe rods are mounted on the brackets, will afford the form and appearance of continuity of the rods clear up to the attaching bases of the brackets, thus giving a neat and smooth effect and also readily enabling the outer end of the hem of the curtain or drape to be carried over the elbow end or arm of the rod and the bracket arm up to the base of the bracket A further object is to provide a curtain fixture structure that shall possess a high degree of strength, rigidity, and freedom from rattling or sagging tendencies.

Vith these and other objects in View, which will be apparent from the following detail description, the invention consists of the matter hereinafter described, typically illustrated in the drawings, and defined as to of another or bracket located at difall the rods rods.

subject-matter and scope in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Fig. lisa top plan View of a curtain fixture embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2- is an enlarged horizontal section,

on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 through one of the brackets and the elbow ends of a pair of rods engaged therewith;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bracket and elbow end portion of the outer ro mountedthereon, as viewed from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 1 is a detail vertical section on the a line 44.-' of Fig. 2; and

a Fig.1 5 isaperspective View of. the bracket. I have herein shown thepresent invent-ion embodied in an extensible curtain fixture employing telescoping curtain rod sections,

but the same is equally applicable to nonextensible fixtures using plain one-piece Referr ng to the drawings,wherein-'I- have shown a pa r of spaced extensible rods of. the well-known fiattelescoping type adapted to support a pair of curtains or a curtain and drapes respectively, and themselves supported at their; ends by brackets on the window casing, 12 and 13 designate respectively the outer and inner telescoping sections of the outer or front rod formed with continuous rearwardly extended elbow end portions 12" and 13"; and 1 1 and 15 designate the corresponding sections of'the inner or rear rod also formed with continuous rearwardly extended elbowe'nd portions 14 and 15 which are or the same length as the end portions 12 and 13 of the front rod, the front and rear rods thus being identical and interchangeable. I

The stepped rod-supporting bracket, best shown in Fig. 5, is a one-piece structure, preferably of sheet-metal and comprises a flat attaching base 16 and a pair of parallel forwardly extending arms 17 and 18 springing from the vertical edges of the base 16. The outer arm 17 is longer than the inner arm 18 by the distance between the front faces of the two curtain rods, and it is so shaped as to form a rear or shank portion 19 and a forward rod-engaging portion 20 of the same length and width as the inner arm 18. The arm portion 20 is inwardly ofiset from the shank 19, thus forming a vertical stop shoulder 21 against which the end of.

the rearward extension 12 of the front rod 12 abuts, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper and lower edges of the shank 19 are inwardly curled or beaded, as shown at 22 and 28, in imitation of the rearwardly curled beads on the upper and lower edges of the rod itself; so that when the outer rod is mounted on the portion of the bracket arm 17 the shank 19 lies flush and registers at top, bottom and outer side with the rod itself and forms in appearance and practical efiect an extension of the latter, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, thus making it very easy to carry thehem of the curtain or drape clear to the bracket base 16. The rear eX- tension of the inner rod telescopes over the inner bracket arm 18 for the full length of the latter and abuts at its end against the base 16, as shown in Fig. 2; so that the hem of the curtain suspended from the inner rod may also easily be carried clear to the bracket base. Thus, the only part of the bracket that is visible, when the curtain and drapes are hung, is the base 16.

The shoulder 21 on the outer bracket arm not only serves as a stop to correctly space the outer rod fromthe inner rod, but it also co-operates with the upper and lower edges of the arm 20 to prevent sagging or drooping of the rod under the weight of the curtain.

, The end portion of the curtain rod is yieldably locked on the bracket arm preferably by the means shown, comprising a spring tongue 24 cut and bent outwardly from the arm, that snaps into a socket 25 indented in the inner surface of the end portion of the rod. This particular locking device is, however, old, and no claim of specific novelty thereto is made herein. The upper and lower beads on the portion of the rod engaged with the bracket armare, as shown in Figs. 2 and 41-, curled inwardly to such an eX- tent that their free edges have a sliding fit on the side of the arm, as shown at 26; and this feature, in co-operation with the-elastic thrust of the tongue 24, prevents any lateral looseness or play of the rod on the bracket.

The attaching base 16 of the bracket is, as usual, provided with holes 27 to receive fastening nails or screws 28.

The complete fixture when assembled and mounted on a window or other frame pos sesses a high degree of load-supporting strength and rigidity, is free from all tendency to rattle or sag from loose fitting joints and couplings, and presents a neat and uni form appearance, with the brackets substan tially concealed from view. It will also be observed that the form of the bracket issuch that it may be used for both rights and lefts by relative inversion.

I claim- 1. In a bracket and rod coupling for curtain fixtures, the combination with hollow front and rear elbow rod sections, of a supporting bracket therefor having an attaching base and inner and outer arms integral with said base adapted to enter said end sections, said outer arm being formed forwardly of said base with an outwardly offset por-' tion forming in appearance and effect an eX- tcnsion of the elbow end section on said outer arm and providing a stop shoulder for the inner end of said elbow end rod section, said offset portion corresponding in length to and determining the front and rear spacing of said rod sections. a

2. A specific form of claim 1, wherein the laterally offset portion of the outer arm lies flush at its outer side with the outer side of the elbow end section mounted on said outer 1 arm and forms in appearance and effect a V continuation of said outer side of said elbow end section.

3. A specific form of claim 1, wherein the base of the bracket is flat and the laterally offset portion of said outer arm, extends forwardly from the base normal to the plane of the latter and lies flush and registers at top, bottom and outer side with the top, bottom and outer side respectively of the elbow end section mounted on said outer arm, thereby constituting in appearance and effect a continuation or extension of said elbow end section reaching to the bracket base.

JAMES H. BOYE. 

